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It looks like dry weather will continue until Saturday. Most farms south of Moses Lake and Ephrata have not had a significant rain since early May, so soils, grasses and brush are beginning to dry out and the fire danger is increasing. The dry weather has been good news for ripening cherries and hay curing, though. Look for temperatures to warm 3 to 5 degrees above normal for today through Friday. We’re watching a low pressure area over the gulf of Alaska that will slowly move to the Pacific Coast to bring some showers and cooler air for this weekend. Rainfall amounts of ¼ to ½ inch are possible north of Yakima to Moses Lake with lighter amounts to the south. You can plan on evapotranspiration to be around an inch and a half for tall alfalfa and small grains and an inch and a quarter for lawns. Lighter winds will mark a return to good spraying conditions for the next few days until this weekend when breezy conditions produce drift and there’s that chance for rain washoff. Hay balers can expect humidity above 60 percent from around midnight to mid morning. Growing degree days base 40 calculated from March 1 are still running about a week ahead of normal and 2017. Base 50 from April 1 is about 2 weeks ahead. With above normal temperatures expected to continue, crop development and maturity will likely remain faster than normal.